Seed-cleaning machine.



B. REEVE.

SEED CLEANSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRM'II CO.,WA5IHNOTON. D, c.

B. REEVE.

SEED CLEANSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BUDD REEVE, OF BUXTON, NORTH DAKOTA.

SEED-CLEANSING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed July 29, 1912. Serial No. 712,074.

To alt whom it may concern Be it known that I, Boon Rnnvu, of Buxton,Traill county, North Dakota, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Seed-Cleansing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to seed cleaning machines.

My invention consists generally in various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a perspective view of a seed cleaning machine embodying myinvention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line 00w of Fig. 2, looking upwardtoward the bottom of the receptacle.

In the drawing, 2 represents a tank of suitable dimensions, composed,preferably, of sheet metal and having legs 3 remo-vably supported at thecorners of the tank by means of clips at. These legs are composed,

referably, of gas piping and may be readily removed from between theclips and the walls of the tank when it is desired to take the machineapart for packing or shipping purposes.

The tank 2 is adapted to contain a quantity of chemically preparedliquid and has an outwardly projecting flange 5 on its upper walls.Within the tank is a receptacle 6 spaced from the walls and bottom ofthe tank and having a perforate bottom 7 At the top of the receptacle isa flaring flange 8 which projects beyond the flange 5 of the tank and issupported thereby, thus leaving a clear space between the perforatedbottom of the receptacle and the closed bottom of the tank. A grain box9 fits within the receptacle 6 at one end thereof and also has aperforated bottom 10 and an opening or recess 11 in one end wall. Thisopening or recess is normally closed by a slide 12 which may be removedat any time to allow the liquid above the level of the opening in theend wall of the box to flow out over said end wall. A bucket 13 has ahandle 14: and is supported on guides 15 on the side walls of thereceptacle, and

' the tank,

has a comparatively low Wall 16 opposite the opening in the grain box toallow the material floating on the top of the liquid in the grain box tobe skimmed from the box over the end wall thereof into the bucket, whilethe heavier and plumper seed suitable for planting will sink to thebottom. When this operation has been effected, the operator will removethe slide 12 and then, using it as a skimmer, will direct the refusematerial floating on the Water from the grain box into the bucket andwhen all the weed seeds and other refuse have been skimmed off thesurface of the water the box is lifted and may be placed on the drainboard hereinafter described. The bucket has a perforated bottom 17 toallow the liquid to drain off when the bucket is raised to discharge itscontents.

I prefer also in connection with this device to provide loops 18 on theclips 1 to receive the bent ends of U-shaped brackets 19 which arepivoted at 20 to the underside of drain boards 21 and 22. These boardshave hooks 23 at their inner ends which are adapted to enter holes 24 inthe flange 5 of the tank, the inner ends of the drain boards extendingin between the flanges 5 and 8 and directing the liquid draining fromthe boxes on the drain boards back into the tank. 7

In the operation of the machine, the grain is poured into the boxes andthe plump kernels suitable for seed will sink to the bottom, while theimperfect seeds and refuse foreign material will float on the surface ofthe water and may be skimmed from the grain boxes into the bucket or anyother suitable receptacle. When a considerable quantity of seed grainhas accumulated in the bottom of the grain box, the box is removed andplaced upon one of the draining boards and the chemically treatedliquid, flowing down through the perforations in the bottom of the grainbox, will follow the drain board down between the flanges of the tankand the receptacle and flow back into ready to be used again.

A number of grain boxes will be provided with each machine, so thatwhile a grain box is draining, the operator may continue the separationof the imperfect seeds in another box placed within the tank. In thisway the operation may be continued until the seed grain is entirelycleaned.

I claim as my invention l. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tankadapted to contain asupply of water, a seed box fitting within said tankand having a perforated bottom, the Weed seeds and light, imperfectgrain kernels rising to the top of the water in said receptacle when aquantity of seed grain is poured therein, a bucket also having aperforated bottom fitting within said tank and having a wall adjacent tosaid box that is below the normal level of the water in said box, thewall of said box opposite said lower Wall of said bucket having amovable section which will permit the material floating on the surfaceof the water in said grain box to be directed into said bucket.

2. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water, a seed box fitting within said tank and having aperforated bottom, and a recess in the upper portion of its wall, theweed seeds and the light, imperfect kernels rising to the top of thewater in said box, a bucket also having a perforate bottom fitting within said tank and having a wall adjacent to said box below the level ofthe water in said box, the wall of said box adjacent to the low wall ofsaid bucket having a removable slide normally closing said recess, saidslide being adapted for use as a skimmer to direct the refuse materialfloating on the surface of the water from said box into said bucket.

3. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water, a receptacle having a perforated bottom fitting withinsaid tank, the upper walls of said receptacle having a flaring flangeformed thereon supporting said receptacle out of contact with the bottomof said tank, a grain box fitting within one end of said receptacle andresting on the bottom thereof and also having a perforate bottom andadapted to contain a supply of seed grain, the water in said tank risingabove the level of the grain in said box, said box having an end wallbelow the normal level of the water in said box, and a bucket having aperforated bottom fitting within said receptacle and also having a wallon a level substantially with the said wall of said grain box andadjacent thereto, for the purpose specified.

4:. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water, a grain box fitting within said tank and havingperforations in its walls and adapted to contain a quantity of grain,the water in said tank rising in said box above the level of the graintherein and the weed seeds and imperfect kernels rising to the top ofthe water in said box, a bucket fitting Within said tank, said box andbucket having their adjacent walls provided with means for establishinga communicating passage between them, through which the refuse materialfloating in said grain box may be directed into said bucket.

5. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water, a grain box fitting within said tank and havingperforations in its walls and adapted to contain a quantity of grain,the water in said tank rising in said box and the weed seeds andimperfect kernels floating to the top of the water, said box having aremovable section in its wall forming a recess therein below the levelof the water in said tank, through which recess the surface Water insaid box and the weed seeds thereon may be directed, and a suitablereceptacle arranged to receive the weed seeds and refuse from said box.

6. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water,

a seed box fitting within said tank and having a perforated bottom, theweed seeds and light, imperfect grain kernels rising to the top of thewater in said receptacle when a quantity of seed grain is pouredtherein, a bucket also having a perforated bottom and a wall adjacent tosaid box, said box having a wall over which the refuse material floatingon the surface of the water may be directed into said bucket.

7. A seed cleansing machine comprising a tank adapted to contain asupply of water and having outwardly projecting flanges on its upperwalls, a grain box fitting within said tank and having a perforatedbottom and adapted to contain a quantity of grain, the water in saidtank rising in said box above the level of the grain therein and theweed seeds and imperfect kernels rising to the top of the water in saidbox, a receptacle disposed adjacent to said box, the contiguous walls ofsaid box and receptacle allowing the weed seeds and imperfect kernels tobe directed thereover from said box into said receptacle, and theflanges of said tank forming supports for said box when placedtransversely of said tank and operating to direct the liquid drainingfrom said box back into said tank. 1

8. A seed cleaning machine comprising a tank adapted to contain aquantity of liquid and having a flanged upper edge, a recep taclefitting within said tank and having a perforated lower portion and alsohaving a flanged upper edge, a perforated grain box fitting within saidreceptacle and adapted to contain a quantity of grain, the weed seedsand imperfect kernels rising to the top of the liquid in said grain box,and a drain board inclined toward said tank and having its inner endinserted between the flange of said tank and said receptacle, said drainboard being adapted to support a grain box placed thereon and direct thedrippings from said box back into said tank.

9. The combination, with a tank adapted to contain a quantity of liquid,of a drain board having hooks at its inner end adapted to enter holesprovided in the upper walls of said tank, a brace arranged to supportsaid drain board in an inclined position, a perforated grain box fittingwithin said tank and having a wall over which the material floating onthe surface of the liquid in said box may be skimmed and directed out ofsaid box, said drain board forming a support for said box and directingthe drippings therefrom back into said tank.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of July,1912.

BUDD REEVE.

Witnesses:

GENEVIEVE E. SORENSEN, G. H. REHFUSS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

